Washer / Dryer vs Laundromat
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Wi1dBill
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- Jun 20, 2013
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Wintering in AZ. we'll do laundry once a week at a cost of around $12 to $15. If you are lucky to get enough washers and dryers to do all your wash at once it will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours. What really PO people is when someone will use several machines and leave and come back a hour(s) later. That happen in a RV resort in Cottonwood AZ last spring. Finally went into town to another laundromat. Another consideration is always needing quarters.
While our resort tries to keep the washers/dryers clean sometimes something is left in a machine and you'll have a piece of clothing ruined.
With a washer/dryer in your rig you'll need to do smaller loads and since the dryer is only 110AC it will take longer to dry. However, I think it is easier to keep up with the laundry if you're parked long term. Just throw a load in, go do whatever. Come back later, throw it in the dryer or hang it up in the shower. That being said, I think there will still be times you will head to the laundromat for a load of towels, rugs and pet blankets.
If you're moving from place to place weekly or even every two weeks the laundromat would be the best bet.
Wi1dBi11
While our resort tries to keep the washers/dryers clean sometimes something is left in a machine and you'll have a piece of clothing ruined.
With a washer/dryer in your rig you'll need to do smaller loads and since the dryer is only 110AC it will take longer to dry. However, I think it is easier to keep up with the laundry if you're parked long term. Just throw a load in, go do whatever. Come back later, throw it in the dryer or hang it up in the shower. That being said, I think there will still be times you will head to the laundromat for a load of towels, rugs and pet blankets.
If you're moving from place to place weekly or even every two weeks the laundromat would be the best bet.
Wi1dBi11
Back2PA
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- Jul 26, 2015
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- 5,766
kg4rpc said:
This question is often asked and you can find those discussions using the search function. While some have chosen more space over having a washer/dryer, a majority prefer the convenience of having one. We use ours almost daily, even if only to freshen damp towels.
Not full timers, but we do spend summers camp hosting. Have had a combo in the fiver for all its life. Absolutely no regrets. Yes, the loads are small, but put in a load, start it and come back i n a few hours and take out clean dry clothes. Start another load and repeat. We have on occasion done three loads in a day, but usually only one or two. The key is do small loads often. We usually do whites every three days, colors every other day. Sheets, take two loads. Same for towels. BTW do not even consider a ventless. Vented is the only way to go.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
I had one of those Spendid W/D combinations in my DP and only used it a few times. Way too inconvenient and it didn't really do a great job of cleaning, plus it left the clothes wrinkled. I have used laundromats the rest of the time. There is no need for quarters at the laundromat I go to. The machines can all be used with plastic. No problem with people leaving their clothes in the machine since I get to the laundromat at opening time, 7:30 am, and the place is empty. I spend about $7 a month since I only go once a month.
Ernie n Tara
Well-known member
You would have to pry Tara?s cold dead hands off her Splendide. ;D
Ernie
Ernie
Dragginourbedaround
Well-known member
We opted to save space and weight and not have to put up with the vibration that we have felt in some of our friends rigs. We go to a laundry mat. We wash every ten days or so. The campground we are at for the winter is credit cards only and we love that, but most places it's quarters. We save quarters through the winter and have plenty for when we start traveling. You can also get quarters from the Cg office. You're going to get a lot of opinions from both sides on this issue, but it comes down to what you're comfortable with. Can't really say if our coach came with a w/d already installed if we wouldn't be happy with that. There would be a weight problem though. The side where the w/d would go already has the long slide, generator and refrigerator on it. It's already a problem trying to balance the weight.
Rene T
Site Team
Ernie n Tara said:You would have to pry Tara?s cold dead hands off her Splendide. ;D
Ernie
:
John From Detroit
Well-known member
I do about 3-4 loads a month, Using the campground machines (most CG's have 4.. One I visited had 1 of each but it was a small CG so I walked over every hour)
Cost is less than 10 bucks
When Wife was alive we did more laundry (about 2x) but we worked out the cost of a washer and dryer v/s the cost of laundomats,,, using Public (not park) Laundrys which tend to be more expensive, and came to the "Break Even" decision so we opted for the extra cargo capacity.
Cost is less than 10 bucks
When Wife was alive we did more laundry (about 2x) but we worked out the cost of a washer and dryer v/s the cost of laundomats,,, using Public (not park) Laundrys which tend to be more expensive, and came to the "Break Even" decision so we opted for the extra cargo capacity.
Rene T
Site Team
John From Detroit said:
You're probably correct on your numbers but in our situation, but for us, it's the convenience.
Heli_av8tor
Well-known member
We got our coach in March and limited experience, only having spent 42 nights in it. The first 21 without a W/D and the second with the Splendide combo.
DW will never go back to laundromats.
Oh, there can be a little vibration. We haven't found it too annoying and certainly a small price for the convenience.
DW will never go back to laundromats.
Oh, there can be a little vibration. We haven't found it too annoying and certainly a small price for the convenience.
T
TonyDtorch
Guest
If you have a good laundromat at a campground then it's nice to just do 2 large loads of laundry.
If someone has gotten busy forgotten their laundry in a machine...I'm more than happy to help them, I'll unload it.
But ...I would rather buy new clothes, than have to go to some city laundromat and hang with Homies.
If someone has gotten busy forgotten their laundry in a machine...I'm more than happy to help them, I'll unload it.
But ...I would rather buy new clothes, than have to go to some city laundromat and hang with Homies.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
We had a coach awhile back with a Splendide combo w/d onboard and used it all the time, only going to a laundromat for large items like quilts. We soon learned from other's experience how to avoid wrinkled clothes, the best soaps, etc. We even used the same w/d in our cottage after we remodeled the coach for a buyer that needed the space. The w/d served us well for a number of years there until we built an addition that had space for full sized separates. Now we use laundromats most of the time, either in parks or outside, depending on availability. At most of our regular repeat stops, we're familiar enough with the area to know the best laundromat choices and hours to minimize the time needed to catch up on our laundry. There are advantages to being able to use multiple machines at the same time, but we do miss having our onboard machine.
Larry N.
Well-known member
We have stacked washer and dryer, and they're great--in fact, we had the dealer install them, since the coach didn't originally come with them--and we're nowhere near full time, but DW is extremely pleased with them.
SMR
Well-known member
like Larry we have the stacked washer and dryer and DW loves them. we don't want to spend the time going to a laundromat and who knows what was washed before you...... we had the combo in the MH- the staked lets us get more wash done and vibration is not that bad at all.
I think to each their own. JMHO
I think to each their own. JMHO
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
If you have the washer/dryer combo, you can still decide to use the laundromat if its faster or more convenient or whatever. If you don't have it, then...
What you give up is space, about 2.5'x2.5' x 4'H of floor space that would otherwise probably be a hanging closet or drawers. The weight is about 200 bs, not really significant in any RV large enough to carry one in the first place. Whether that space usage is major loss or a good use depends on the RV floor plan and your needs.
I know folks who wouldn't use a laundromat on a bet, while others use them happily all the time. And all sorts in between. Your call...
What you give up is space, about 2.5'x2.5' x 4'H of floor space that would otherwise probably be a hanging closet or drawers. The weight is about 200 bs, not really significant in any RV large enough to carry one in the first place. Whether that space usage is major loss or a good use depends on the RV floor plan and your needs.
I know folks who wouldn't use a laundromat on a bet, while others use them happily all the time. And all sorts in between. Your call...
ArdraF
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- Feb 12, 2006
- Posts
- 10,695
Yep! And we're not full timers. In addition to all the other Laundromat negatives previously mentioned, there's the problem of trying to find one in a strange town (as opposed to being parked for a month). But I always say, if you could see some of the things I've seen in Laundromats, you'd never set foot in another one. Dogs on folding tables, dirty diapers in washing machines, people smoking over my clean clothes, to name a few. Ugh! Need I say more?
ArdraF
RedandSilver
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NY_Dutch said:
Care to share what you learned?
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
I think my wife settled on Tide HE based on others recommendations. The wrinkle issue was pretty much resolved by removing the clothes after the wash cycle and folding them before returning them for the dry cycle. If it's a really full load, only half of the load was dried at a time. Those tips came from other Splendide combo users...
